Flexible stem for lighting fixtures



Nov. 7, 1933. o GUTH FLEXIBLE STEM FOR LIGHTING FIXTURES Filed March 25,1952 INVENTOR 7 :ORNEY M Patented Nov. 7, 1933 1,934,624 FLEXIBLE STEMFOR LIGHTING FIXTURES Oscar D. Guth, St. Louis, Mo., assignor to TheEdwin F. Guth Company, St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of MissouriApplication March 25, 1932. Serial No. 601,080 1 Claim. (Cl. 240-85) Myinvention relates to that class of devices which are designed to insurethe suspension of the lighting fixture in a plumb or vertical position.It is well known to those familiar with the industry that thecontractors in installing the outlet or junction boxes in the ceilingvery frequently leave them so that they are not in the same plane as theceiling with the result that when supporting means of the lightingfixture is secured to the stud on the outlet box it does not hang true,a number of devices have been invented for this purpose but all of thosewith which I am familiar are objectionable due to the fact that they aremounted below the canopy which imparts an unsightly appearance to thechandelier.

My invention has for its object to provide a simple device to beinterposed between the fixture supporting means and the outlet box whichwill absolutely insure the fixture being suspended vertically and whichcan be entirely enclosed inside of the canopy.

A further object is to accomplish this result in an exceedinglyinexpensive manner.

My means of accomplishing the foreging objects may be more readilyunderstood by having reference to the accompanying drawing which ishereunto annexedand made a part hereof, in

which Fig. l is a side elevation of my improvement secured to an outletor junction box showing the fixture attached; and

2 is an enlarged detailed view of the device having portions of theouter wall broken away to show the interior construction.

Similar reference numerals refer to similar arts throughout the entiredescription.

As shown the drawing, the outlet or junction box 1 is shown mounted sothat the stud 2 is at angle from the vertical. To this stud is attachedmy flexible stem 3 which as shown is mounted inside of a standard canopy4, although obviously it may extend outside of the canopy if desired. Tothis stud is secured a bus -ing 5 which is mounted in the upper end 6 ofthe flexible stem 3. This is preferably accomplished by formingcircumferential grooves 7 in the external wall of the bushing 5 intowhich the walls of the tube 3 adjacent the end 5 may be spun thusholdthe bushing 5 firmly and securely in place. In the other end 8 ofthe tubular sleeve 3 I mount a ball 9 which is provided with anextension 10. This extension has internal threads 11 formed thereonwhich are adapted to be secured to a rod 12 which supports a lightingfixture 13 which obviously may be of any suitable or desired style. Theextreme end 14 of the tubular wall 3 is inturned to form a socket forthe ball 9. In one side of the ball 9 I form a longitudinal slot 15 toreceive a detent 17 which extends into this slot 15. This detent 1''!may be inexpensively formed out of the wall of the tubular sleeve 3 bycompressing the wall inwardly into the slot as clearly seen in Fig. 2.This insures the ball being held against rotation but does not interferewith its universal movement and in fact permits a very wide degree ofmovement as clearly seen by the dotted lines in Fig. 2. The result isthat even if the contractors workmen are very careless in theinstallation of the outlet or junction boxes, still, by the use of myimproved flexible stem the fixture can be suspended correctly. Thetubular sleeve 3 is preferably provided with a longitudinal slot 16 forthe admission of the electrical wires (not shown) which convey thecurrent to the lighting fixture.

Although I have shown internal'threads on the extension and in thebushing 5 it will be obvione that they may be external threads in theevent that the stud 2 of the outlet is provided with internal instead ofexternal threads which change will in no wise depart from the scope ofmy invention.

Having described my invention what I regard as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent is:

In a device of the character described, a com bination with an outletbox, of a canopy which closes said outlet box, a bushing secured to thestud of said outlet box. a sleeve mounted inside of said canopy andextending from the outlet box stud to the termination of the canopy, aplurality of peripheral grooves in said bushing into which the walls ofthe sleeve adjacent one end are compressed, the other end of said sleevebeing inturned to form a socket, a ball in said socket, a threadedextension on said ball, a slot in the surface of said ball, means formedfrom the wall of said sleeve to engage said slotand hold said ballagainst rotation upon the axis of said extension, there being alongitudinal slot in said sleeve for the admission of electricconductors.

OSCAR D. GUTH.

